Goodnight
by Narcissus.Icy.Wings.of.Will
Summary: Oneshot. Alternate Ending. They say every hero has a star of his own.


Pokémon and all related contents © Game Freak, Nintendo. 2010.

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Goodnight

No star fell from its heavenly seat tonight.

Instead, the sky sent down a downpour. Cascading curtains of castaway water that dip the earth and bend the stubborn branches.

Tears I could not cry.

I silently creep away, with the yellow wink of light clinging on to my back. The only defiance of this cloud-muffled and soaking darkness, wrought by the only creatures on earth who shuns the dark like the demon itself. To my untamed eyes, the light in dark was the demon, I suppose. You had laughed when I shied away from the first fluorescent light I saw.

The light is weeping.

I am almost out of its loosening grip when I hear a swelling wail, like a groan of the breaking earth as a new surface-bound vein of spring rends its soft, sturdy heart.

That boy. He had the heart of a bear. Even you haven't seen him cry in your seven years of brotherhood with him, through storms, blizzards, sheer rocks and apathetic waters, countless failures and success – but he finally cannot take the final end of it all. Can you hear?

At last I cannot help. My paws dampen their tottering. My drooping head slide up along with the small, limber spine and the next moment, the entreating beacon of the artificial light glints once again in my limp eyes.

The place I had called home, in reality, home to you. It wasn't like you had no home. You had avoided the plainest luxury of your loving family for the sake of what we pursued together. _He saved others; himself he cannot save._

The rain patters, it whispers, ｢Pachirisu.｣ The wind arches the branches, they sway, ｢Pachirisu.｣ The light of the Union window flickers perilously, it gleams, ｢Pachirisu.｣ Pachirisu, Pachirisu, Pachirisu. Little Buddy, what's the matter? Little Buddy, here's your snack. I made them myself, Pachirisu. Pachirisu, let's go for a walk. Well, it's a patrol, but you know it by now, buddy, and don't we have fun all the same? Isn't the mountain breeze delicious, Little Buddy? I hate it when mom does that to me, you know, Pachirisu? Pachirisu, this mission is dangerous. We did it again, buddy! Thanks for saving my day, Pachirisu. Pachirisu, Pachirisu, look out. Watch out. It will kill you. Leave it to me. Pachirisu. I can't take it alone. Let's go, Little Buddy. Watch me, all right? Pachirisu, Pachirisu, Pachirisu. I want you to hurry to the Union. Tell them I may not make it in time. Tell them I may not make

Who said you were the silent type?

Nabiki Beach, Nabiki Beach. Warm water rolls around earthy crystals of sand beneath its infinite tongue. Water laps the face of the boy, returning his consciousness like a snatched marble. A lump of fur stirs in his breast. His face practically splits in elated, goofy grin. Alive. Alive. You're all right. Look, he's all right. Don't worry little guy, it will be all right. What? Me? Of _course_ I'm all right. A boy and a Pachirisu tangled in and alike seaweeds among the lapping tides of Nabiki Beach.

｢Don't you sometimes want to go back there?｣

Said you this morning. If you are there by now, say hi to the boy for me. Tell him nothing what silent glory lies in his path – after all, what's the fun in that?

I am sorry I left them all huddled by your bedside. I stole away. It will be morning before they realize _something_ has gone. They don't understand, but they will. Don't worry. Mom may accidentally burn our dinner this coming Thursday, but eventually, she will...

After all, we were her boys. You were her boy. You were a boy.

And now they are calling you

a hero.

Would you rather be one?

...

Will I forget you?

Likely I will.

Only your kindness had tamed me. Now my wild blood is calling me back, to the life in the free wild you had been so fervid in protecting. Yet the free wild is not generous to those who loll in the luxury of past... Oh, you will understand.

I had no parting words for you, neither have I now. You could not speak, I wonder if you could hear. But we both understood that no imaginable description could reduce our bond to a gift-wrapped choice of words that will not linger in the air for a millisecond.

And I will never be able to cry again.

My head slowly hangs back in its place. The last finger of your beacon slides quietly away from the tip of my tail. Who is letting go – you, or I?

The infinite bosom of the earth again swallows my tottling footsteps and darkness screens after my small, ever-receding form as ever-hanging curtains of the final play...

Goodnight.

Heaven knows no trace of its latest hero, and the apathetic water cascades castaway to the soft bosom of the earth away,

away...

away.

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All right. My first story. Please review and/or critique.

One thing I note: I had wanted Kellyn in this story to have the image of a "hero", but I had failed to do so. I would appreciate it if you tell me how I could have achieved that effect. ^^;


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